As Black women finding our perfect shade of foundation has historically been a tricky endeavor. The lack of shade range by major brands combined with their unflattering undertones, that oftentimes left deeper skin looking ashy, kept many women of color weary of makeup counters. The fear of buying a product that looked terrible or worse, being unmatchable, has created real trepidation for many Black women.
But that fear is no longer warranted.
Significant strides have been made by beauty brands, like Bobbi Brown and others, to offer a larger range of foundation shades that match more undertones. Their latest foundation, Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15 ($46), comes in 30 shades of which more than half are deeper than tan.
To launch the foundation, the brand tapped Patricia Bright — the British beauty vlogger known for her candid makeup reviews. She told ESSENCE that the one misconception she wants to dispell for Black women about foundation is that the shades aren’t available.
Bright notes the shades are there but it does take a bit of research and nuanced understanding on the part of the consumer, such as accurately considering one’s undertones, to find the right one. “Undertones are really important because not every brown is the same shade of brown which is a mistake that people make. It’s important to work out if you’re red, yellow, or neutral,” she says.
In addition to undertones, it’s important to test-drive the product before purchasing. “When it comes to trying in store, make sure to get a sample and go home to see yourself and multiple lights,” says Bright. “It just takes time and practice to find the perfect shade, but it is possible!”